Kee: A Forced Destiny
by ScarletDevil1503
Summary: Zuko has returned to the Fire Palace as a sixteen-year-old prince, and an unwanted surprise awaits him. He never thought he would be forced to be with someone, let alone Kee. The supposed Fire Nation girl has a lot more secrets than she lets on. OC, set mid-Season 2. Rated T for suggestive themes.
1. Chapter 1: The Girl

**I **_**love**_** Avatar. I'm sure you'll all agree with me that the movie was a sad, sad day for all Avatar: Last Airbender fans. So, that brought us here to fanfiction, to try to ignore that fact that **_**that**_** movie exists.**

**Furthermore, here is a story I wrote one day while dreaming about the firepalace. This is **_**just**_** an idea, so don't to too harsh on me. Though I absolutely love the show, I suck at writing fanfiction for it, in my opinion. However, this is un-beta-ed, so you can decide if it's as bad as I think it is. The time-frame is Season 2, when the honorable Zuko returns to the Motherland. "T" because I'm paranoid of suggestive themes.**

**Don't take me too seriously, folks. I'm just a psychotic Zuzu fan.**

**-Scarlet**

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: Last Airbender. This is a work of fanfiction.<p>

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><p><span>A Girl Named Kee<span>

**Chapter 1: The Girl**

Zuko roamed the halls of the Fire Palace. With his honor "restored", it was a pretty boring place. He was upset by what Mai had told him about the War Meeting. How dare they not invite him? Or was he just assumed to be there? In any case, he remembered vividly what happened at the last meeting he attended, and he didn't want to take his chances. Not to mention the fact that Azula told his father that _he_ had killed the Avatar. If there was the slightest chance that Aang was still alive, he would be responsible for it. He sighed at his misfortune as he veered his aimless course to his room.

He was somewhat surprised to see Koron, the head of the palace attendants, standing outside the door to his chambers. "Koron," he greeted, tilting his head.

"Fire Prince Zuko." Koron bowed respectfully. "I trust you are well this evening…"

"Just fine, Koron. What business do you have with me?"

Koron appeared hesitant. "Your father has instructed me to choose your first concubine, in accordance with your age."

Zuko went bug-eyed and shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, well, I wasn't aware that I had to have a, er, concubine…" he said clumsily, rushing the last word.

"Oh, yes," Koron explained. "It is the tradition of all Princes to bed their first concubine at the age of 16."

Zuko felt his mouth go dry. He had never felt so awkward in his life. The only person he wanted to be with was Mai. He cleared his throat. He dared not oppose his father at a time like this. "Very well. Thank you, Koron."

"Of course, Fire Prince. Her name is Sanae, and… welcome home."

The middle-aged man bowed away. _Does he mean she's in there now? Should I knock? _He felt sweat break out on his forehead, and his stomach tied into knots. This was definitely not good. Raising his fist to knock, Zuko shook his head and went for the doorknob instead. He opened it halfway and stuck his head in.

On his bed, sitting cross-legged, was a girl. She was tiny, not more than 13. She had thick, black shoulder-length hair, delicate facial features, and tiny hands and bare feet. She wore crimson servants robes with a gold sash. Even Zuko had to admit she was cute. But what struck him the most, besides her young age, was her eyes. Deep, golden orbs of liquid sunshine. He also noticed that those eyes were plastered to the scarred side of his face.

_This could be a problem_, Zuko thought. "Uh… hi?"

The girl frowned and shifted away.

Zuko noticed for the first time that the girl had a small stuffed rabbit-squirrel hugged in her small arms. This made him frown. She was so young… _too_ young.

"P-Please don't take her. I hid her f-from the men," she mumbled.

Zuko nodded slightly at the strange request, and stepped closer. "So… Your name is Sanae?" he asked, hoping to reassure her. Her eyes were wide with fear.

"No," she stated. "But that's what the men at the market called me."

Zuko winced. "You were at a market?"

The girl nodded blankly, her eyes tracing the terrible scar on Zuko's face. "With the other girls taken from the North Pole."

"You were at the North Pole? But you're Fire Nation!"

The girl sighed dramatically, stroking her rabbit-squirrels' floppy ear. "It's a long story..."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, what's your _real_ name then?"

"Kee." The girl rubbed her tiny nose and blinked her large eyes. "You can see why they changed it," she said morosely.

"OK. How old are you, Kee?"

"Twelve. Last month."

This was ridiculous. "Do you know who I am?" he asked the fidgeting girl.

She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Then opened it again, "You're Fire Nation. They said to do whatever you say."

Zuko sighed in impatience. "My name is Zuko. My father is the Firelord, and this is the Fire Palace."

Kee looked as if you had just handed her 100 copper coins. "You're the Fire Prince?" she asked, rising to her knees. Then, the excitement drained from her eyes, and her raised fists dropped. "But what do you want with _me_?"

Zuko couldn't help but smile. Her little eyebrows were together in confusion. He softened. "Well, I… I mean, uh – we could just be… friends?" he said weakly, slightly startled by his own words.

"Want to be friends," she repeated slowly, her face draining of expression. "…I've never had a Prince for a friend before."

Zuko resisted the huge grin that spread across his face. _Stop that!_ he scolded himself. Obviously there was some sort of mistake. Why was she so _young_? Why were they doing this at all? _I need to speak with Koron again…_

The girl had sat back further on the bed, and was hugging her rabbit-squirrel shyly. She covered a yawn with the too-long sleeve of her kimono.

"Are you tired?" the Prince asked.

The girl curled up like a cat with the rabbit-squirrel in the middle. "No," she yawned. "But Dana is…"

Zuko stopped untying his armor. "Dana?" he asked curiously. He didn't think anyone else was there with them.

"Yeah, Dana." She held up the rabbit momentarily for Zuko to see. "She said she's tired from being sold today."

Zuko felt a pang. But, all the servants and slaves were bought from the market. Why was Kee so important? She wasn't. Zuko thought this, as he got ready for bed. It was late, and all he wanted to do was sleep his troubles away. When he came back to his bed in a simple robe, he could already hear Kee's steady breathing. She was still curled around Dana, her eyes closed in tranquil sleep.

Nevertheless, Zuko pushed her all the way to the edge and slid the red blanket over small form. Circling to the other side, Zuko climbed into bed, careful not to shake it too much.

Kee shifted and yawned again. "Goodnight, Fire Prince Zuko…" she muttered, only half-conscious.

"Goodnight, Kee," he said back quickly. He wasn't used to sharing a bed at all. With thoughts on the War Meeting, Zuko drifted into a shallow, uneasy sleep.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? Goodbad/disgraceful? Reviews?**

**-Scarlet**


	2. Chapter 2: The Problem

**Chapter 2: The Problem**

Zuko awoke with sunshine warming his face. He slowly opened his eyes, but quickly closed them and groaned. He shifted, but immediately felt his arms pinned. He panicked, but then felt a soft sigh on the back of his neck. He froze and slowly turned his head.

There was a tiny girl, with one arm over Zuko, and the other curled around a stuffed rabbit-squirrel. Her mouth hung slightly open, muttering something in her sleep. Zuko's first reaction was to shove her off, but he stopped himself. She looked as cute as a baby saber-toothed mouse-lion cub. Her dark hair has half in her face, half spread out on the red sheets beneath her. Zuko gingerly brushed the hair from her face and rested a hand on her faintly flushed cheek. The smile tugging at the corner of his mouth reminded him to stop.

He was going to find Koron today… and she'd be gone.

Kee shifted in her sleep, muttering something about Dana and sugar cubes. Zuko's eyes caught the exposed skin of Kee's shoulder, darker than the pale skin of her neck. He cautiously pushed aside the loose material to get a better look. He was surprised to see a large burn mark over her entire shoulder, stretching down her small arm. He gulped. _How far does it go?_

As Zuko pulled on her shirt, Kee awoke from a horrible nightmare. Jumping away from Zuko suddenly, Kee blindly swiped the air with her free fist. "Dana, they're here!"

Slowly, Kee opened her eyes to see a scared-looking Zuko jump from the bed, his hand held in surrender. "I'm sorry! I was just curious!"

Kee blinked and rubbed her sleepy eyes, assessing the situation calmly. It took her several moments to recall the events leading up to her awakening. "Fire Prince, curious about what?"

Zuko opened his mouth to ask about the burn, but his thoughts strayed to a young woman he once met in a small Earth Kingdom village.

"_The Fire Nation has hurt us all…" _Song.

"Uh… nothing. How'd you sleep?"

"Hm," Kee said thoughtfully, pulling Dana close to her ear. "Good!" she declared, nodding.

After getting dressed (Koron had left Kee a small bag of clothes), and a teary goodbye to Dana, they were off to the kitchen for breakfast. To Zuko's relief, they didn't encounter anyone on the way.

"So… er, Kee… what would you like for breakfast?"

The girl froze. Kee wasn't used to making choices. She wrapped her arms around herself and wished Dana was there. "Erm… what?"

"Well… just tell Cook what you'd like to eat, and she'll make it for you."

Kee peered at the flour-covered woman across the counter, vigorously pounding a headless fish. Kee swallowed. "Uh," she began hesitantly. "Some fire flakes?"

Cook raised an unimpressed eyebrow as Zuko chuckled nervously. Women that were taller than him always made him nervous, and Cook was the tallest he'd ever seen. "Just bring us whatever's fresh."

Cook smiled approvingly. "Yes, Prince. It'll be out shortly."

Zuko lead Kee to a small table in the corner of the open dining room, avoiding the early-morning couples and dignitaries. Kee shifted anxiously on her floor pillow, stealing glances up at Zuko and playing with the hem of her skirt. Zuko watched the girl absent-mindedly, his thoughts still troubled with the War Meeting. Far before Zuko felt obliged to start a conversation, several servers came with their meal. There was a spread of fresh fruit and pastries, and (to Kee's delight) some dry fire flakes.

As Zuko started eating, Kee simply stared. "What's wrong?" he asked, only slightly concerned. He felt more like he was a babysitter than a Prince right now.

"I've never seen so much food before! They must have bought half the market!"

Zuko smirked at the girl's amazement. "Yeah… they must have."

Kee gave him a quirky smile and dug into a strawberry fire cake.

After a quiet breakfast and an embarrassing use of the word "terrific," Kee followed Zuko through the courtyard, back to his room. Sunbeams danced across the pond in the warm mid-summer air. A soft breeze wisped through the trees, causing Kee's black hair to cover her eyes and tickle her nose.

"Ooooh, look! Turtle-duckies!" Kee raced across the grass to kneel at the water's edge, watching the graceful creatures skim atop the rippling water.

Zuko loomed over her, determined not to get involved.

"I have something for you," Kee whispered quietly to the turtle-ducklings, drawing a small red napkin from her dress. "I didn't finish my breakfast, but don't tell Fire Prince!" she confided as she tossed a few fire flakes to the ducklings, giggling as they pecked at the food.

"Zuzu!"

Kee turned at the sound of the woman's voice. A young lady strode over to Zuko, eyeing Kee in a way that caused the girl to squirm.

"_Azula,_" Zuko greeted through gritted teeth. Just what he needed right now. He willed the Spirits to unleash their ultimate wrath on her that very moment as she slithered her way to the pond's edge.

"Surprised to see you up so… _early_." She'd spat the last word at Kee, making the girl turn back to the turtle-ducks.

_Oh, great. She knows. _"You as well, sister," he sneered, with a go-away glare.

Azula only laughed. "And who might this be?" the Princess asked in her even, monotonous voice, stepping around to get a better look at the small girl.

"This is… Kee. Kee, this is my sister – Azula."

Kee stood from her knees and bowed, glancing up slightly at the imposing royalty. "Your highness," she mumbled, sinking back down and returning her gaze to the gently moving water.

"How sweet," Azula cooed, the charm in her tone forced. She smirked at her brother's mortified expression. "Well, I should be going. I'm meeting TyLee for breakfast. Tata!"

Zuko nearly groaned at his sister's antics, but managed a murmured, "Have fun."

Azula strutted off in the direction they'd just came. Zuko, once Azula was out of sight, finally broke down and sat next to Kee in the moist grass. He gave a strangled sigh, thinking, _Now whatever reputation I built up here is already gone._ The Prince froze as a sudden thought struck him. _Will Azula tell Mai? Or she'll tell TyLee and TyLee will tell Mai. This can't be happening!_

Glancing over at the sulking Prince beside her, Kee slipped some fire flacks onto his knee. He was startled, but returned her smile when their gazes met. She noticed that it didn't reach his eyes. She frowned, sensing his sadness. "Why doesn't your sister like me?"

Zuko's expression hardened as he dropped a fire flake near one of the ducks. "It's not just you. She doesn't like most people. Don't worry about it."

Kee nodded, nibbling on a fire flake herself. Zuko watched a flake fall from the palm of his hand, and slowly sink into the water. A turtle-duckling came and snatched it up, playfully pecking at one of its siblings. Zuko smiled, remembering all the times he and his mother would sit there, doing the same thing. He glanced up at the same tree they would have sat under, talking and laughing together. It had aged somewhat, some old branches had fallen off, and new smaller ones were growing.

Zuko sighed, shaking the nostalgic thoughts from his head. "Come on, Kee," he commanded, standing up and dusting his robe. Kee popped up and followed Zuko back to his room. He told her to remain there, and stepped back into the corridor.

Time to find Koron.

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><p><strong>Drop a review if you feel so inclined...<strong>

**-Scarlet**


	3. Chapter 3: The Fire

**Chapter 3: The Fire**

"Your highness," Koron greeted the Prince as Zuko approached. The attendant noted, with concern, that his highness looked rather disgusted.

"Koron, I believe there's been a mistake."

/...\.../...\

Kee smoothed out her dress and sat on Zuko's bed once again. She hugged Dana close to her chest and sighed. Zuko had told her to stay in his room until he returned, and to be good. Kee tried to sit still on the comfy bed, but failed. She hoped up, deciding to have a better look around. There was a wardrobe in the corner (where she'd seen Zuko put his armor last night), a desk, two tall, curtained windows flanking the bed, and a set of double doors leading to a balcony. Kee tried to open this door, but found it was locked by a bolt out of her reach.

Kee went back to the desk to inspect it further. Scrolls of paper were scattered across it, some ink and quills lying here and there. Kee glanced over some writing, wishing for the hundredth time that she could read. A red candlestick burned steadily atop the desk, dimly lighting the curtained room. As Kee gazed into the flickering flame, she thought back on how she ended up there…

_*FLASHBACK*_

_ "Come on, Kee! Try it again!"_

_ Kee glanced uneasily at her playmate. Lota had always been a good friend, but sometimes he had the stupidest ideas. Like now, sneaking out of the thick ice-walls of the North Pole without anyone knowing they were there. "I don't know Lota... Father will be very angry with me... Wait, what am I saying? Father will _already_ be angry with me! I'm going back!" Kee stomped off in rage, the snow melting under her heated feet._

_ "Whoa... Kee, look!" Lota exclaimed, pointing at her footsteps, which were now pools of watery slush in the permafrost._

_ Kee stopped and whirled around, irritation clear on her face. She yelped. "Lota! Look what you made me do! Father's going to be so mad…" the girl wined, putting her hands over her ears._

_ "Kee," Lota insisted. "Just try it one more time, then we can go back. Come on! Don't pig-chicken out!"_

_ Kee gasped, then narrowed her eyes. No one _ever_ called her a pig-chicken. With a crazed warrior cry, Kee took a stance and punched the air with her fist. Flameless sparks flew from her white knuckles, making Lota stumble back in shock._

_ "CAN WE GO NOW?" Kee screeched, steam practically rising from her skin._

_ "Y-Yeah," stammered Lota, still dazed from Kee's outburst, scratching his head._

_ As they made their way back to the secret tunnel leading back into the city, they were not expecting the ambush of earth kingdom slavers to be waiting… just for them…_

_*END*_

Kee felt a tear slide down her cheek. They had taken her from her home, her family. "I'm sorry, Father..." she whimpered, envisioning the conversation she'd wished to have a thousand times over. "I'm so sorry..."

But no, she was here. Because of the men. Kee felt her temper boil, and the candle flame flared. She glared at it. "It's all because of YOU! If I hadn't showed YOU to Father, he wouldn't have gotten mad! Then I wouldn't have shown Lota! Then he wouldn't have made me sneak out! Then – then those men would NEVER HAVE FOUND US!"

Kee stomped the ground as tears stained her cheeks. She cried out as she threw her fist through the air, a whip of fire dancing from her clenched fist. The fire lustfully caught the Fire Nation curtains of the balcony door in a quickly spreading inferno. Kee gasped and stepped back, horror crossing her features as she realized it was her handiwork. She ran for the door as the flames continued to spread across the room. She heard the curtain rod clunk to the floor as she grasped the doorknob. She tried to turn it, but it was locked.

"Ah, no, no, no, no!" She looked back at the wildly spreading fire that had nearly reached the bed, as she fumbled with the unfamiliar Fire Nation lock. She screamed when she realized she was trapped there.

"Help! Somebody help me!" Kee shouted, beating blindly on the locked door as the smoke from the fire reached her lungs. She coughed and slumped to her knees, still pounding on the door. "H-Help..." she whispered, barely able to speak. "Somebody..."

As Kee's world suddenly lost sound and color, they door gave way, causing her to slump forward onto something. Kee took on final raspy breath as the buzzing in her ears increased.

Then it was dark.


	4. Chapter 4: The Meeting

**Sorry this is so short; it's basically Zuko's perspective of the last chapter.**

**-Scarlet  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: The Meeting<strong>

Zuko sulked his way back to his room. The conversation with Koron had been less than helpful. Kee was the one. She was the oldest Fire Nation _virgin_ they found. And it had to be a Fire Nation _virgin_. Zuko groaned as his gut twisted for the hundredth time. He couldn't win his father's approval, he couldn't face him in an _Agni Ky_, he couldn't capture the Avatar, and now, he couldn't do this. He was a complete failure.

His self-loathing was interrupted by a muffled, but distinct, scream. "Help! Somebody help me!"

Zuko started running when he realized the yelling was coming from _his_ room. He screeched to a halt in front of his door, and failed to turn the doorknob. _Another failure. _He heard coughing from the other side, and sensed that Kee was in some sort of trouble.

"Kee? Kee are you there?" he shouted, again trying to force the door. He growled when he heard no reply, and firmly grasped the doorknob. It melted under his firebending.

He swung the nob-less door open, and was shocked when Kee slumped forward. He stooped and caught her. Peering into his room, he saw fire lapping away at his desk, curtains, and bed. He quickly squelched the fire, and watched as half of his headboard fell off in a charred mass of oak. Furrowing his brow, he looked down at the girl in his arms. It appeared as though she had passed out, her shallowed breaths coming far and in between.

_How did this happen?_ Zuko thought, glancing up at the untouched candle flickering gently on his desk.

/...\.../...\

After summoning a servant to take Kee to the medical ward and clean up the mess in his room, Zuko decided to go see Mai. He was still upset about not being invited to the War Meeting, but Kee's illness also weighed heavily on his mind. However, when the servant came searching for him – claiming that they were all waiting for his arrival at the Meeting – all Kee-related thoughts seemed to disappear.

When the Meeting was over, Mai was waiting outside for him. She asked how it had gone, and he told her with earnest. He paused in his story as he walked past a tapestry of his great-grandfather, Sozin. He had been a just, but ruthless Firelord, who commanded respect from those around him.

"During the meeting," he said as he gazed at the tapestry, speaking half to Mai and half to himself, "I was the perfect Prince... the son my father wanted. But, I wasn't _me_."

After some brief consolation from Mai, Zuko claimed he had something to take care of, and kissed her goodbye.

Now that the Meeting was over, he needed to go see Kee...


	5. Chapter 5: The Story

**Chapter 5: The Story**

Kee insisted for the fifth time that she was all right, and that it was an old scar. She pulled up her kimono and crossed her arms sorely. Nurse Zade scoffed and bustled off to her other patients.

The girl had simply had a headache and a sore throat when she woke up in the medical ward. She was confused until Nurse Zade had explained that a servant had "found her passed out in a corridor." The last thing that Kee remembered was… fire. And she did not feel inclined to share this with Zade.

Hugging a pillow close, Kee pretended it was Dana, her stuffed rabbit-squirrel. _Oh no,_ she thought, _Dana will be so mad with me... I just abandoned her in the fire._

Kee was drifting back to sleep when she heard Zade's shrill voice, "Yes, Fire Prince."

Kee's eyes popped open to see Nurse Zade glance back at her, and then walk from the room. The door opened further to reveal Prince Zuko, fully dressed in armor with his hair pulled back into a fire-knot. He looked just as he had when she first saw him.

The two other patients in the ward were fast asleep, making the room silent, besides the quiet whispers of several torches along the walls. Zuko's footsteps echoed in the large room, the light from the torches cast his long, dancing shadow across the floor. Kee pulled the blanket up to her chin when he reached her, and waited for him to speak. He would no doubt be angry with her.

Zuko towered over Kee's small cot. "Are you OK?" the minute intimation of concern in his voice surprised both of them.

"Yes," Kee squeaked, nervously peeking up at his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked, slowly sitting on the edge of the bed. When she didn't respond, he pulled a small stuffed rabbit-squirrel from his pocket.

"Dana!" Kee snatched her up, and hugged her tight. Suddenly, her face grew very solemn, and she set Dana on the bed next to her, Dana's face turned away.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, his brow furrowing.

Kee glanced back at Dana, then she leaned up and cupped her mouth over Zuko's ear. "Dana mad at me for leaving her behind in the fi –" the last word was said so quietly, he wouldn't have understood had he not seen it for himself. Kee sighed and settled back down. "I-I lied to the market-men, Fire Prince. I lied a lot..."

Zuko raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What did you tell them?"

"I said –" Kee gulped. "I said I wasn't a bender… and that was a lie. I-I started the fire."

Kee's head was bowed like a scolded child. Zuko did not take this news seriously, but nodded for her to continue.

"I also told them I was Fire Nation. That was sort of a lie, too…" She finally looked up and met Zuko's hard gaze. "Before, you asked why I was at the North Pole… are you still curious, Fire Prince?"

Zuko nodded wordlessly. What else could he do?

Kee took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. "My mother was from the Fire Nation, but my father," she hesitated. "Is from the Water Tribe. He was a servant in the Fire Nation when he was a boy. That's where he met my m-mother."

The girl paused.

"Her father was a very rich man who had many, many servants. And my father was one of them. He had been captured from the North Pole... like me."

Kee blinked rapidly so she wouldn't cry. This was the first time she'd ever told anyone about her parents.

"They loved each other very much, but my mother's father didn't like my father, so they ran away from there. My father took my mother back to his home in the Northern Water Tribe, and they were very ahppy. Then I was born. They loved me very much, but..."

Kee touched her left shoulder, and Zuko recalled the scar he had seen there.

"When I was 8-years-old, my parents had a bad argument. They yelled and fought about it. I tried to stop them... Mother was so angry..."

Zuko's eyes grew large when he realized what she was saying. "You mean, your own mother –"

"It was an accident!" Kee defended, tears pooling in her eyes. "She said so! She said she loved me and she was sorry! But Father was still so angry!" she exclaimed, tear falling freely now. "And one day..." she rubbed the tears from her face. "One day, I found Mother sleeping… Father said the Spirits took her, but later a found a vial... and it said..."

Kee sobbed into her hands. Zuko was shocked, to say the least. _Her mother loved her too much to bear it_, he thought sadly. Who would have thought that so much tragedy had befallen a girl so young?

Zuko cautiously shifted closer and pattered her trembling shoulder. Kee took the unintentional invitation and fell onto his chest, her small frame shaking with sobs. "Then the m-men found m-me, and brought m-me here..."

Zuko fought against the compassion he began to feel. This girl wasn't even supposed to be there, and _yet_… He looked down at the tiny girl in his arms.

"Kee..."

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><p><strong>And that's all I've written.<strong>

**Any interest?** **Suggestions? Review and tell me.  
><strong>

**-Scarlet**


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